Okay so since you guys (IMC) seem very hell-bent on countering silver sellers as much as possible to the extent of limting other players trades and incoming auction sales, I’ve got a few ideas for you to implement that will help do just that, along with some explanations:
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Implement TP buying as soon as possible and make all TP-bought items be traded with no limitations. This will greatly increase your profits and greatly decrease the likelihood that players will turn to silver sellers. It allows players to buy silver essentially from IMC while creating a player-to-player silver exchange as well as keep the auction house cut silver sink. I’m sure the primary reason so many people are buying silver is because they can’t profit from giving IMC their money. Hell, I’ve considered buying silver because I seem to always be lacking it, but I haven’t and won’t for fear of my account’s safety, however I’m sure others are being more and more tempted to take the risk.
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Limiting megaphone use to level 40+ did a great lot for removing the spam from in-game, and I’m unsure how large IMC’s staff is, but it might be worth considering having one or two people patrol Klaipeda and ban all the normal chat spammers as well as any bots who manage to make it to 40 and begin megaphone spamming. This shouldn’t be too hard to do even if you’re understaffed, it’s not like the GMs would have to stare at their screen 24/7, just leave it open on a second monitor or casually server hop every 20-60 minutes and ban all of them in sight. That alone would get rid of plenty.
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I know I’m going to get a LOT of hate over this suggestion, especially from the players not interested in spending much or any money to progress, hell, I’m not sure if I like this suggestion, but it’s a legitimate alternative regardless of what anyone thinks; the simple fact that some people are going to spend money to progress in whatever way they can remains. That being said, I believe working on and implementing an in-game real money auction house for specifically silver only, where players can post silver, and other players can buy said silver with money, would likely almost eliminate silver selling. The correct way to do it would be as such:
Posting 100,000 silver for $1 would cost the posting player 10% silver, so 10,000 silver in this case. Then the buying player would pay $1 for that 100,000 silver, and the selling player would receive $0.85 (+/- $0.05) or so, IMC and/or Paypal (assuming you may need to set up an arrangement with paypal to make these sales fast and safe) would split the other $0.15.
This limits the desire to buy silver from third party sites immensely and almost encourages the “no-life” players to turn your game into a job, which may sound terrible, but realistically, you’re just making said players happy and giving them a reason to continue playing and grinding even if they become bored with the game.
You can argue that silver sellers and bots will use this service, which may be true, but players will undercut them in their own personal interest to the extent where silver sellers wouldn’t be making enough to make using it a viable option, especially with the 10% silver and 15% dollar tax.
Not to mention, IMC will actually profit from this alternative on every in-game silver sale.
Again, I expect to get much hate over this suggestion, but the fact remains that people willing to buy silver are going to regardless, this gives them a safe alternative with benefits for everyone. It’s like giving teenagers condoms despite not WANTING them to bang, you’re at least encouraging safety.
Disclaimer: Do not rush this system if you decide to do it at all, make sure it is foolproof and flawless before implementing it.
- Implement silver trading via player-to-player trades without the use of the marketplace. It’s seriously ridiculous that I can’t loan my buds silver or vice versa. Like, some people argue this is a Quality Of Life feature but really, you’re losing players and/or at least frustrating an insane amount of us due to your ridiculous “anti-bot/anti-silver seller” measures. Just give us limitless or near-limitless trading. Maybe give free players 5-10 per month and token players 30-60 per month, that’s understandable, but my god the current trading and market situation is near unbearable.
Hope these suggestions are helpful. Also, you don’t need to use them all, obviously. Heck, you don’t “need” to use any, but I do very seriously hope you consider them all.
Thanks for Reading! 
